Impact rotary slip lock



Oct. 2, 1951 A. L. STONE IMPACT ROTARY SLIP LOCK.

File d Aug. 6, 1949 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 FIG. I.

LIFTING RING G I I 4! I 3.: w

Willi/I1 7! AIR NAIIER POWER UNIT FIG.

Oct. 2, 1951 A. L. STONE IMPACT ROTARY SLIP LOCK Filed Aug, 6' 1949 2Sheets-5 2 WQXZEZL" Patented Oct. 2, 1951 IMPACT ROTARY SLIP LOCK AlbertL. Stone, Redondo Beach, Calif., assignor,

by mesne assignments, to Standard Oil Development Company, Elizabeth, N.J., a corporation of Delaware Application August 6, 1949, Serial No.109,045

8 Claims. 1

The present invention is directed to a device for tightening slips usedfor holding a section of pipe.

In the handling of sections of pipe in drilling operations it is oftendesirable or necessary to hold the sections against downward androtative movement. At the present time most wells for producingpetroleum and gas are drilled'by the rotary drilling method whichinvolves the use of a rotary table for producing rotative motion of thedrill stem. The drill stem is constructed by fastening sections of pipetogether by means of screw threads. Incidental to the actual drillingoperation it is necessary to add sections of pipe to and remove sectionsof pipe from the drill stem and in this operation it is common tosupport the drill stem by using a slip assembly mounted on a masterbushing which in turn is carried by the rotary table.

It is necessary to support the drill stem be low the joint to be made upor broken out when adding or removing sections of pipe. The operation ofattaching or removing a section of pipe by screwing or unscrewing ajoint requires that the pipe on one side of the joint beheld againstrotative movement while the pipe on the other side of the joint isrotated.

It is common to use a slip assembly for holding the drill pipe againstvertical movement in such operations. The slip assembly usually consistsof a member called a sli bowl which defines a cavity having sidestapering upwardly and outwardly. Cooperating and fitting within the slipbowl are wedge shaped slip members having outer surfaces taperingdownwardly and in- I wardly with the several members cooperating todefine a central passage. The slip members are provided with die membersadjacent the central passage -for gripping a section of pipe.

When a section of pipe is supported from the slip members the weight ofthe pipe exerts a force having components directed radially outwardly aswell as downwardly.

When a conventional slip assembly is supporting a section of pipe, theapplication of a rotative force between the section of pipe and the slipbowl will produce a horizontal component directed radially outwardly anda vertical component directed upwardly. Usually a conventional slipassembly cannot be used to prevent rotative movement between thesuspended pipe and the slip bowl unless the weight of the pipe is suchthat the rotative downward component exerted by the pipe on the wedgesurface of the slip members is great enough to overcome the upwardcomponent produced by the rotative force. That is to say, they cannot beused to hold a back up or to transmit rot-ative movement to a supendedsection of pipe when breaking out or making up a joint unless thesection of pipe suspended irom the slips has a weight greater than acertain minimum. However, attempts have been made to use slip assembliesto hold a back up or to transmit rotative motion when carrying lightloads normally insufiicient to overcome the upward component produced bythe rotative force, by hammering the slips down by hand at the time theload is being gripped. In general, however, such a procedure has beenunsatisfactory. Most slips are not equipped with a p1ace on which theymay be hammered by hand and it is difficult to strike a proper blow.More important than this, an operator using a hammer cannot strike theblows rapidly enough and at the time the torque is being applied.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a means whereby aseries of impacts are continually imposed upon a slip member holding apipe whereby the slips are enabled to resist a torque. Moreparticularly, it is an object of the present invention to provide anassembly including slips for holding pipe with an impactproducing meansfor hammering at least one of the slips in the assembly so that theslips will resist rotative movement when supporting a weightinsufi-"icient to resist the upward component resulting from therotative force.

Other objects and advantages of the present invention will be seen fromthe following description taken with the drawing, in which Fig. l is anelevation partly in section of an embodiment of the present inventionshowing the relation of the open slip assembly with a slip bowl mountedon a rotary table;

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary view of the assembly of Fig. 1 engaged with asection of pipe and supported by a slip bowl in a rotary table, showinghow the assembly may be used with a tong to break a joint of pipe;

Fig. 3 is a view showing by itself the slip assembly of Figs. 1 and 2;

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary view showing details of construction of thedevice of Figs. 1 to 3;

Fig. 5 is an elevation showing another embodiment of the slip assemblyof the present invention;

Fig. 6 is a view takenalong line VI- VI of Fig. 5;

Fig. 7 is a view of the assembly of Fig. 5 engaged with a section ofpipe and supported by V with lifting means.

a slip bowl in a rotary table, showing how the assembly may be used witha tong to break a joint of pipe;

Fig. 8 is a view showing another embodiment of the slip assembly of thepresent application; and

Fig. 9 is a view showing still another embodiment of the slip assemblyof the present application.

Turning now specifically to the drawing and first to the embodiment ofFigs. 1 to 4, a member A, such as a master bushing, is arranged toreceive a slip assembly consisting of slip members B, C, and D. In Figs.1 to 4 the embodiment shown is adapted for use with power oper-" atedslips and is provided with a lifting ring E. arranged to be operated bypower means F.. The power means F moves ring E vertically and ring E inturn moves the slip assembly vertically for engaging and disengaging theslips with the section of pipe to be supported. As a specific examplethe lifting ring E and power means F may correspond to that of the powerslips manufactured by the Mission Manufacturing Company as shown onpages 2728 and 2729 of the Composite Catalogue of Oil Field and PipeLine Equipment, 1948, 16th edition, volume 2, published by GulfPublishing Company, Houston, Texas.

An impact producing member G is mounted on slip C so that it can imposea series of impacts thereon.

Master bushing A is mounted in a rotary table H whereby the bushing maybe given rotary motion. For illustrative purposes a portion of a stringof pipe is shown supported by the slips in Fig. 2 with a lower section Hand an upper section [2 connected together by screw joint i3. Lowersection ll is supported by the slip assembly and a tong J is shown inposition for preventing rotation of upper section i2 when the lowersection II is given angular movement by rotary H as when disconnectingthe sections :of'pi pe.

Slip members B, C, and D are connected together hingedly by hingemembers is and i5 so that the slip assemblies are moved as a unit intoposition to seat in the slip bowl or out of position out of contact withthe slip bowl. Slip members B, C, and D each have conventional dies M5for gripping the pipe and wedge surfaces vIll for engaging with theinner tapered surface l8 of master bushing A.

The upper portion of slip C defines a cylindrically shaped cavity havingwalls l9. Impact producing member G has a body 26 with'a lower wallportion 2| which is cylindrical and fits slidingly into the cavitydefined by walls ill of slip C. Above cylindrical surface 21 the body ofmember G defines a square portion 22 with which retaining members 23 ofslip C fit loosely so that the body 26 of member G can move freelythrough a short vertical distance with respect to slip C. This mountingmeans may be described as one which allows impact producing member G tofloat freely in the cavity defined by slip C. Compressed air'is suppliedto impact producing member G to operate the same. Thisis done by asuitable means such as fitting 24 mounted on body 20 and connectedthrough a slip tight coupling 25 to air hose 26 which in turn may beconnected to any suitable source of compressed air, not shown in thedrawing. 1

The assembly of slips B, C and D is provided Members B and Bare eachprovided with a lifting arm 30 terminating in rollers 3| while thecenter slip may be lifted by arm 32 secured to body 20 of impactproducing device G. Lifting ring E has two parallel cone shaped surfaces33 and 3 1. When lifting ring E is moved upwardly by power means F,surface 33 engages with rollers 3i and with arm 32 to lift the slipassembly upwardly. This upward movement releases the slips in that uponsuch movement arm 32 moves radially outward and arms 36 move through asweeping arc. The slips may be set or engaged with a section of pipe bydownward movement'of lifting ring E which causes radial movement of arm32 and sweeping arcuate movement of arms 39 to engage the slips with asection of pipe. Downward pressure may be exerted on the slip assemblyfrom power means F through lifting ring E. This downward pressure isexerted on arm 32 which transmits it to center slip C and on arms 38which transmit it to the slips B and D.

The movement for releasing and setting the slips of the embodiment shownin Figs. 1, 2, 3, and 4 as heretofore described is no different from thelike operation of the Mission power slips described on pages 2728 and2729 of the Composite Catalogue, supra. However, in the embodiment ofthe present invention the'upward component resulting from a rotativeforce exerted on the pipe being held by the slip assembly may berestricted by the impact producing means G so that the slip assembly ofthe present invention is capable Of holding pipe which is beingsubjected to a torque great enough to produce an upward component largerthan the downward component resulting from the weight of pipe supported.This torque may be exerted by the rotary table H through master bushingA while tong J is used as a backup preventing angular movement of upperpipe section I2, or may be exerted by moving the handle of tong Jangularly while master bushing A and the slip assembly are used as abackup to prevent angular movement of lower pipe section II.

Impact producing member G may be a conventional reciprocating motoroperated by compressed air such as is commonly used to operate hammers,pavement breakers, riveters and the like. In order to simplify thedescription the details of construction of this device are not shown.Impact producing member G has a mandrel 35 for transmitting the blowfrom the power means of G (such as a piston not shown in the drawing) tosurface 36 defined by slip C. When compressed air is supplied throughair hose 26 the impact producing means of G reciprocates to produce aseries of impacts which are transmitted through hammer mandrel 35 toslip C. When the impact producing member of G is reciprocating, downpressure may be exerted thereon by means of lifting ring E. This is anefi-lcient way of operating the device. However, it is not essential toexert a downward force against body 20 of member G in order to cause itto apply impacts to slip C. The compressed air supplied to mandrel Gexpands within the body 20 so that the device delivers a seriesofimpacts to slip element C even though the body 20 is merely balancedand is free to move vertically.

Another embodiment of the present invention is shown in Figs. 5, 6 and7. This embodiment is a hand operated slip assembly provided with animpact producing means.

In the embodiment of Figs. 5, 6 and '7' master" bushing A, rotary tableH and tong J are identical with like parts of the embodiment of Figs. 1to 4. The slip assembly consists of members 13, CY and D' which are.connected together by hinges l4 and I5. Slip members B and D areprovided with handles 40. Impact producing means G is provided with ahandle 4| and is loosely mounted on slip member C. The elements B, D,and G differ from elements'B, D, and G of the embodiment of Figs. 1, 2,and 3, inclusive, in that they are provided with handles for handoperation rather than arms for power operation.

In the embodiment of Figs. 5, 6 and 7, the slips may be set and releasedby hand operation in the customary manner. However, when the slips areused to resist a torque, the impact producing means G is set intooperation to impose a series of impacts on slip member C" whereby theslip assembly can resist a torque which produces an upward component onthe slips greater than the downward component resulting from the loadcarried by the slips. When the impact producing means G is set intooperation, an operator may, if desired, impose a downward force thereonthrough handle 4| but satisfactory operation may be obtained without theimposition of such a downward force.

Another embodiment of the present invention is shown in Fig. 8. Thisembodiment is a hand operated slip assembly, and may be employed with aslip bowl and rotary similar to the assembly of Figs. 5, 6, and 7 but inorder to simplify the drawing the slip bowl has not been shown.

In Fig. 8 the slip assembly consists of slips K, L, and M which areconnected together by hinges 42 and 43. Each of these slip members issomewhat similar to the slip member C of the em bodiment of Figs. 5, 6,and 7 previously described in that an impact producing member G ismounted on each of said slips. The arrangement for mounting the impactproducing member on the slip may be identical with that shown in detailin Fig. 6 and in order to simplify the drawing the details ofconstruction of the impact producing means of the embodiment of Fig. 8are not shown. The impact producing member G mounted on each of the slipmembers of the assembly of Fig. 8 is provided with lifting arm 4|identical with arm 4| of the embodiment of Figs. 5, 6, and 7.

In using the embodiment of Fig. 8 the slip assembly may be set andreleased by hand oper ation in the customary manner. However, when theslips are used to resist torque the impact producing means G on each ofsaid slip members K, L, and M may be set into operation to impose aseries of impacts on each of said slip members whereby the slip assemblycan resist a torque which produces an upward component on the slipsgreater than the downward component resulting from the load carried bythe slips. When the impact producing means G is set into operation,operators may, if desired, impose a downward force on one, two or all ofsaid handles 4|, but satisfactory operation may be obtained without theimposition of such downward force or forces.

Another embodiment of the present invention is shown in Fig. 9. Thisembodiment is a slip assembly adapted to be used with power operatedslips and, accordingly, it is generally similar to the embodiment ofFigs. 1 to 4. This embodiment is to be used with power means foroperating the slip assembly and it is. to be raised and lowered in aslip bowl but in order to simplify the drawing this additional equipmentis not shownin Fig. 9.

In Fig. 9, slip members K, .L, and M are secured together by hinges 42and 43. Slip mem ber L has impact producin member G mounted thereon.Slip members K and M each have an impact producing member G mountedthereon. Impact producing member G" may be identical in constructionwith impact producing member G of the embodiment of Figs. 1 to 4 withthe details of construction shown in Fig. 4. In order to simplify thedrawing no showing is made of the construction of impact producin memberG in Fig. 9. The impact producing members G" mounted on each of membersK and M are similar to impact producing member G but differ in beingprovided with a lifting arm 30 terminating in roller 31 whereas theliftin arm 32 of impact producing member G, as shown in Fig. 4, has noroller. The embodiment of Fig. 9 is adapted to be lowered into a slipbowl for engagement with a section of pipe and to be lifted from theslip bowl for disengagement from the section of pipe by means of alifting ring and power means. not shown in Fig; 9 but similar, forexample, to lifting ring E and power means F shown in Figs. 1 and 2.When the assembly of Fig. 9 is lifted by such means the arm of impactmeans G will move radially backward while arms 33 will move through asweeping arc. The movement of arms 30 of impact producing means G andarm 32 of impact producing means G will be reversed when the slipassembly is lowered into the slip bowl for engagement with a section ofpipe.

The embodiment of Fig. 9 may be employed to hold a section of pipeagainst vertical movement and at the same time resist a torque in thesame manner as the precedingiy described embodiments and particularlythe power operated em bodiment of Figs. 1 to 4. However, the embodimentof Fig. 9 has an impact producing means mounted on each of the slipmembers so that the impact is delivered directly to one, two or all ofthe slip members while the assembly is resisting torque.

The slip assembly of the present invention is particularly adapted to beused for resisting a torque as when making up or breakin out a pipejoint. As is customary in the use of slips, the pipe joint joining anupper section of pipe with a lower section which is to be. made up orbroken out is positioned above the slip assembly with a lower section ofpipe held by the slip assembly. In the use of the present invention, atorque may be applied by means of rotary table H through drive bushing Ato the lower section of pipe while the upper section is held againstangular movement as by backup tong J as shown in Figs. 2 and 7. As thetorque is being applied to the pipe joint the impact producing member ormembers (G, G, or G) is started so that the series of impacts is rapidlyimposed on one or more of the slip elementsof the slip assemblysimultaneously with the application of torque to the pipe joint. In theembodiment of Figs. 1 to 4 and that of 5 to 7, the impact imposed in thecenter of the slip assembly necessarily tightens this segment againstthe other two segments so that the slip assembly resists the upwardcomponent resultin from the torque exerted on the pipe.

In the embodiment of Fig. 8 and that of Fig. 9, impacts may be imposedon each of the slips of the slip assemblyto tighten the segments with inthe master bushing so that the assembly resists the upward componentresulting from the torque being exerted.

In breaking a, joint of pipe there is very little angular movementduring the high torque period. Hence, compressed air may be suppliedthrough hose or hoses during this interval. As the rotary starts tospin, the coupling is pulled away from the slips, shuttin oil the powersupply to the impact producing means. However, this will occur when thetorque being exerted on the pipe has diminished so that the load carriedby the slips is in itself sufficient to resist the torque necessary tocomplete the operation of disconnecting the joint. In the reverseoperation when makin up a joint, the rotary may be spun until the hightorque period is reached at which time the air hose may be connected toimpact producing member or members (G, G, or G") which then impose aseries of impacts on the slip assembly, which impacts resist the upwardcomponent resulting from the torque being exerted on the joint as it istightened.

While specific embodiments of the. present invention have beendescribed, it will be apparent toa workman skilled in the art thatvarious changes in the sizes, shapes, proportions and arrangements ofthe parts may be made without departing from the scope of the presentinvention.

Having fully described and illustrated preferred embodiments of thepresent invention, what I desire to claim as new. and useful and tosecure by Letters Patent is:

1. A slip assembly adapted to fit in a slip bowl for holding a sectionof pipe against movement comprising, in combination, a plurality of slipmembers adapted to fit into the slip bowl and cooperating therewith whenengaged with a section of pipe to' support said pipe and at least oneimpact producing means mounted on at least one of said slip members,said impact producing means comprising a compressed air operatedreciprocating motor with a hammer member arranged so that thereciprocating motor transmits a series of blows through the hammer memher to said slip member in substantially the same direction as thedownward component resulting from the load of pipe carried by the slipmembers and an air hose having a readil disconnectable coupling, saidair hose being operatively connected to said compressed 'air motor andadapted to connect said motor with a source of compressed air.

2. A slip assembly adapted to fit into a slip bowl for engagin with asection of pipe to support said pipe comprising, in combination, aplurality of slip members hingedly connected together, an impactproducing means mounted on one of said members, said impact producingmeans comprising a compressed air operated reciprocating motor with ahammer member arranged so that the reciprocating motor transmits aseries of blows through the hammer member to said slip member insubstantially the same direction as the downward component resultingfrom the load of pipe carried by the slip members and an air hose havinga readily disconnectable coupling, said air hose bein operativelyconnected to said compressed air motor and adapted to connect said motorwith a source of compressed air.

3. A slip assembly adapted to fit into a slip bowl and cooperatingtherewith to support a section of pipe, said slip assembly consisting ofa central slip member and side slip members hingedly connected to saidcentral slip member, said central slip member defining a cavity at itsupper end having an axis substantially parallel to the longitudinal axisof said slip member and an impact producing means mounted in saidcavity,said impact producing means comprising a compressed air operatedreciprocating 'motor with a hammer member arranged so that thereciprocating motor transmits a series of blows through the hammermember to said slip member in substantially the same direction as thedownward component resulting from the load of pipe carried by the slipmembers and an air hose having a readily disconnectable coupling, saidair hose being operatively connected to said compressed air motor andadapted to connect said motor with a source of compressed air.

4. A device in accordance with claim 3 in which the impact producingmeans carried by the central slip member has a body with a'projectingarm and in which each side slip has a projecting arm, said arms beingadapted to cooperate with a power means for moving said slip assemblyvertically into and away from the slip bowl.

5. A device in accordance with claim 3 in which the impact producingmeans carried by the central slip member has a body with a projectinghandle and in which each side slip has a handle secured thereto wherebysaid slip assembly may be moved vertically by operators into and awayfrom the slip bowl. I

6. Aslip assembly adapted to fit into and cooperate with a slip bowl forsupporting a section of pipe comprising, in combination, a plurality ofslip members hingedly connected together, each of said slip membersdefining a cavity and a, separate impact producing means mounted in thecavity of each of said slip members, each of said impact producing meanscomprising a compressed air operated reciprocating motor with a hammermember arranged so that the reciprocating motor transmits a series ofblows through the hammer member to the slip member in which it ismounted in substantially the same direction as the downward componentresulting from the load of pipe carried by the slip members and airhoses each having a readily disconnectable coupling, a separate air hOSebeing operatively connected to 'each of said compressed air motors andadapted to connect said motors with a source of compressed air.

7. A device in accordance with claim 6 in which each of said impactproducing members has a body with an arm projecting therefrom forcooperating with a power means for raising and lowering the slipassembly vertically into and away from the slip bowl.

8. A device in accordance with claim 6 in which each of said impactproducing means has a body and a handle is secured whereby said slipassembly may be moved vertically byoperators into and away from the slipbowl.

ALBERT L. STONE.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are'of record in the file ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number

